The Mischiefmakers' Apprentice
by ReganX
Summary: Lexi and Izzy Fox-Mulwray are back - and they've taken on a student. Complete.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **You know the drill. 'Mutant X' and it's amazing cast of characters Not Mine. Lexi and Izzy Fox-Mulwray and Ryan DeLauro-Kilmartin Mine.

**Author's Note I: **I wasn't sure whether or not I'd write another story about Lexi and Izzy - they've featured in six of my stories so far - but this one wouldn't go away.

**Author's Note II: **This story takes place two years after 'Kindergarten'. Lexi and Izzy are seven years old, Ryan is two and Jesse and Emma have had another baby.

**Author's Note III: **As always, reviews as well as suggestions are more than welcome.

>

**Prologue**

"Ryan! No!" Emma was drenched by a miniature tidal wave as her son made his escape, whizzing past her so fast that she was almost knocked off her feet.

The toddler tore out of the room, desperate to escape, his mother in hot pursuit.

"A little help here, guys!" Emma called out as she chased Ryan past the rec room doors. "Somebody stop that baby!"

Shalimar, who had been the fastest runner in Sanctuary, at least before Ryan had learned to walk, joined the chase, enjoying the same success as Emma.

She dove forward to catch the little boy who dodged, leaving his aunt to fall flat on her face.

Shalimar glared at her grinning husband. "I don't see you helping."

"What do you want me to do - shock him? He's soaking wet."

"Could you guys keep it down?" Jesse hissed, cradling a sleeping infant. "I just got her to sleep."

His three teammates glowered at him.

Ryan's giggles could be heard as he used his propulsion abilities to move around Santuary faster than any two year old had any business moving.

"He's not going to run out of energy any time soon, is he?" Brennan commented, amused.

"Does he ever?" Emma sighed in exasperation. "He'll stop when he's bored, not before."

Shalimar gave her friend a sympathetic smile. "And I thought the twins were bad at that age."

"Are you talking about us?" Lexi asked from the couch, where she and her sister were curled up watching cartoons.

"Did Ryan run away again?" Izzy asked, already knowing the answer.

"Afraid so, Izzy-lizard." Brennan ruffled his daughter's hair, much to her indignation.

"Let me guess." Lexi's innocent expression would not have been out of place on the face of a Christmas angel. "You'd like us to help you catch him?"

"Please." Emma had no qualms about pleading with a pair of seven year olds.

Exchanging an exasperated look with her twin, Lexi marched out into the hall, where a blurred figure was approaching.

She shook her head maternally.

Her little cousin was growing up so fast.

"Stop." Her voice was quiet, but her command was irresistable.

Ryan stopped short, slipping and landing in an undignified heap on the floor.

He glared up at the older child, his expression betraying his indignation at her betrayal. "No fair." He complained mutinously.

Emma darted forward, scooping up her son and carrying him back to the bathroom.

Jesse watched her leave, a smile on his face. "Every time we try to give him a bath." He gently stroked the cheek of the newborn in his arms. "You're not going to grow up to be a troublemaker, are you, Bethy?"

"She's going to grow up to be a Daddy's girl." Shalimar commented.

In the five and a half weeks since her birth, Bethany DeLauro-Kilmartin had become the apple of her father's eye.

With sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, she was the image of Jesse, although she took after her mother in terms of mutant abilities.

Adam had predicted that she would be a telempath and a telepath.

Unlike Lexi, who had set up a cacophany of noise as a baby whenever she felt that her wishes were not being granted in an efficient manner, or Izzy and Ryan who had both kept the adult inhabitants of Sanctuary on their toes with their demands, Bethany was a quiet, placid baby, who never cried and seemed to possess endless patience.

In any case, with five adults, two seven year olds and Ryan, who basked in the glory of his position as a big brother, to tend to her needs, she never needed to make any fuss when she wanted something.

Dozing peacefully in her father's arms, she was a picture of tranquillity and contentment.

"At least we've got one well behaved kid in the place." Brennan joked, tickling his niece's chin.

"Hey!" The indignant twins chorused.

"We're good." Izzy declared.

"Sure you are."

"Would you two ever think about having another one?" Jesse asked teasingly. "You'd be bound to get a quiet, well-behaved one to balance out Double Trouble."

Lexi and Izzy simultaneusly flashed their eyes feral.

"Odds are, it wouldn't be _one_." Shalimar pointed out. "Feral genes."

"Adam said you might rise to triplets, maybe even quads if you were lucky, the second time." Brennan said solemnly, getting a smack to the chest from his spouse for his pains.

"We've got all we need as it is." Shalimar hugged her daughters.

"Yeah." Brennan reached for the nearest twin - which happened to be Izzy - and tickled her mercilessly. "Quiet is over-rated."

A loud splash, followed by a cry of surprise, could be heard from the bathroom.

"Shouldn't one of us help Emma?" Shalimar looked at the two men.

"Nope."

_** >**_

_**Later that night.**_

"Izzy?" Lexi hissed, trying to rouse her sister. "Are you asleep?"

Izzy sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I _was_."

Lexi wisely ignored her twin's cranky tone. "Ryan was funny tonight, wasn't he?"

Izzy grinned. "Yeah. He's getting lots faster now." She paused. "Do you think . . ."

"Yeah."

"We've been waiting for ages, haven't we? Since he was a baby."

"I think it's time." Lexi decided solemnly. "He's ready."

Her sister giggled. "The grown-ups will be mad."

"Aren't they always?"

"I guess."

"We'll teach him everything we know." Lexi's smile was positively diabolical. "The grown-ups won't know what's hit them."

TBC.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. 'Mutant X' and it's amazing cast of characters Not mine. Lexi, Izzy, Ryan and Bethany Mine. 

**Author's Note I:** Thanks for all the reviews.

**Author's Note II:** To Crystal113 – Sorry, I thought telepathy was mind reading, while telempathy was reading and influencing emotions without actually hearing what people were thinking.

**Author's Note III:** To Chris – Have you really tried some of Lexi and Izzy's pranks? I never managed anything so elaborate in real life.

**Author's Note IV:** To ka-mia2286 – Sure thing.

**_Mutant X – The Next Generation_**

_Alexis Marie Fox-Mulwray_

- Feline feral

- Electrical elemental

- Subconscious telepathy (eavesdropping on and influencing people's dreams)

- Mental domination

_Isabelle Emily Fox-Mulwray_

- Feline feral

- Electrical elemental

- Subconscious telepathy (eavesdropping on and influencing people's dreams)

- Mental domination

_Ryan DeLauro-Kilmartin_

- Phasing

- Massing

- Propulsion

- Mild empathic abilities

_Bethany DeLauro-Kilmartin_

- Telepathy

- Telempathy

I may also give Bethany some molecular abilities at later date, but her psionic gifts will be far more powerful.**

* * *

**

**Chapter 1**

"Izzy-lizard, eat your food don't play with it. Don't even think about it, Lexi." Shalimar reproved automatically.

Lexi giggled, letting the ball of electricity she had been aiming at Jesse, who, bent over in front of the fridge with Bethany cradled in one arm, her bottle in the other hand, had provided a tempting target, fizzle out.

SPLAT!

"Lexi!" Brennan, getting a generous spoonful of soggy cereal flung in his face, scowled at his daughter.

"It wasn't me." Alexis Marie Fox-Mulwray was the picture of indignant innocence.

Ryan, cackling manically, loaded his spoon to take aim a second time.

"Don't you dare. . ." Emma's warning was rewarded with a globule of food to the front of her top.

"Funny." Ryan pronounced solemnly. "Again!"

"NO!" All four adults chorused.

"Don't overdo it, Ryan." Lexi advised solemnly, her voice low.

"Yeah." Izzy seconded her sister. "It's funny once or twice, _maybe_ three times, but after that. . ." She trailed off, trying to find a diplomatic way of putting it.

"It gets really old." Lexi finished for her.

Fortunately for the girls, the adults, busy making their own breakfast – or in Jesse's case tending to little Bethany – either didn't hear their words, or else had wisely chosen not to comment on them.

"Good morning." Adam, armed with a cup of coffee, entered the kitchen, stopping to plant kisses on the twins' cheeks, before taking the pudgy hand of Ryan – who had decided a month previously that kisses were for girls – and shaking it gravely.

"Morning, Adam." Emma responded absently, wiping the cereal from her top.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Shalimar asked cheerfully.

"Any evil villains to foil?" Brennan quipped.

"Nothing so exciting, I'm afraid." Adam's tone was dry. "A group of New Mutants want to join the Underground."

"When do me and Izzy get to join Mutant X?"

"Never."

"When you're forty."

"When your grandchildren are married."

"When I'm dead and buried twenty years."

Shalimar, Emma, Jesse and Brennan responded in unison.

"We'll talk about it when you're eighteen. Twenty-one." Adam amended hastily in response to Brennan's glare.

"No fair." Lexi huffed. "That's ages away. We've been practicing on the dojo and everything. We're ready now."

"Well, we've got a height requirement." Brennan told his daughter solemnly.

"It can't be very tall if Mommy made it."

"Hey!" Shalimar glared at her firstborn.

"What?" Lexi looked genuinely puzzled.

"You know," Adam said in a pacifying tone. "If you girls really want to help Mutant X now you could help out here while your parents, and Emma and Jesse are out."

"How?" Izzy was interested.

"Behaving would be nice." Brennan muttered.

"You could help out in the lab." Emma suggested, ignoring Adam's glowering. "Or you could keep an eye on Ryan."

"Is he as much trouble to babysit for as Uncle Jesse was?" Izzy asked dubiously, not willing to buy a pig in a poke.

"No one could be as much trouble as Uncle Jesse." Lexi pointed out logically. "Besides," She nudged her sister. "I'm sure there's lots of things that we can help Ryan with."

Her sister got the message.

Ryan held out his arms, allowing his cousin to lift him from his chair.

"Don't worry." Lexi assured her aunt and uncle, smiling sweetly. "We'll take good care of him."

The five adult inhabitants of Sanctuary watched the two girls lead the toddler out of the kitchen, with understandable feelings of trepidation.

"I think" Emma said slowly. "That we may have made a bit of a mistake."

"Relax." Balancing baby Bethany in one arm, Jesse put the other around her shoulder. "What's the worst that could happen?"

The looks the other four adults gave him ranged from pitying to scornful.

"You'd think," Shalimar spoke slowly. "That after seven years of living with the girls you'd know better than to ask that."

* * *

"Pay attention, Ryan." Lexi, standing in front of a small blackboard, a piece of pink chalk clutched in her fist, looked every inch the schoolmarm as she addressed Ryan, who sat at the small table in the twins' playroom, watching her solemnly.

"What we're going to teach you is very important." Izzy lectured. "And it's top secret so you can't tell anybody. Especially the grown ups."

"Otay." Ryan agreed cheerfully, without the slightest idea what they were talking about.

"Me and Izzy are getting big now." Lexi sighed as nostalgically as a seventy year old. "And we have to go to school, and everything, so we can't play as many games with the grownups as we used to when we were as little as you."

"Games?" Ryan's attention was sparked by the word.

"That's right." The seven year old tutor continued. "Some of your games are funny – like the one with the bathtub – but it's time for you to start putting more thought into them, like we do. Would you like that?"

"Ess."

"I thought as much." Izzy beamed, satisfied.

"To play games properly, and to really make the grown ups mad you need to be able to know their weaknesses." Lexi continued, with a dramatic flair that would have made any comic book villain proud. "You really have to know how to get to them."

"And it's important to know how to use your powers to help you." Izzy chimed in. "You can run really fast, even faster than us, and you can walk through walls." She sighed enviously. "You're so lucky."

"Now," Lexi cleared her throat to gain the attention of her small pupil. "We'll start with Lesson One – Stuff That Really Freaks Your Mommy And Daddy Out'."

TBC.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. 'Mutant X' and it's amazing cast of characters - Not Mine. Lexi, Izzy, Ryan and Bethany - Mine.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_**The next morning.**_

Ryan's short legs moved at an incredible speed as he darted through the wall separating his parents' bathroom from his bedroom, reemerging in triumph seconds later, bearing his prize.

"Look." He proudly presented the plastic container to Lexi.

"Good work, Ryan." Lexi beamed maternally at the younger child.

"What we do now?" The toddler was almost bouncing with excitement.

Izzy's grin was malevolent as she produced the small packet with a flourish. "Tada! It's itching powder." She explained for the benefit of their young student.

"What dat?"

"If it gets on someone's skin, it makes them itchy and sometimes even gives them a rash." Lexi explained gleefully. "Izzy put some on Daddy's clothes once."

"He got really mad." Izzy sighed nostalgically. "It was really funny. We're not going to do it _exactly_ the same this time." She continued seriously. "Because that would be boring and since it's been a while since we played a trick on your mom or dad, we're going to play one on them both - using that." She nodded towards the container in Lexi's hand. "Talcum powder."

"You see, we put the itching powder in with the talcum powder and since they're both white nobody will be able to tell the difference. They'll probably think they're alleric to it. Even if they do think we did something, they'll never be able to _prove_ it." Lexi lectured her small pupil. "And if they can't prove it, they can't get mad."

"Wow." Ryan's expression was one of pure awe.

It took a moment for Lexi to unscrew the lid of the talcum powder and while doing so she managed to spill some of it on the floor.

Izzy tore open the packet of itching powder, being careful not to get any on her skin, and handed it to Ryan.

"Here." She offered generously. "You do the honours."

* * *

_**Kensington Junior School. **_

As second graders, the Fox-Mulwray sisters felt very grown up and mature, especially in comparison to the first graders and kindergarteners, who seemed so young that they were scarcely worth their notice.

Unlike Miss Roberts, their kindergarten teacher, Mrs Wilkins and her classroom assistant, Miss Hillary, had not made a fuss about the twins sitting together or persisted in addressing them by their rarely used abbreviated names.

As both girls were intelligent they managed to do well with their schoolwork without undue effort and they were quite popular amongst their peer group.

One of the things Lexi and Izzy liked about being in Mrs Wilkins' class was that their teacher had no objection to her students reading, drawing or talking quietly if they finished their work early, so once they had finished their math worksheet the twins were able to put their heads together to continue to brainstorm about Ryan's lesson plan.

"We should start him on food games." Lexi insisted in a hushed whisper. "You know that those are always fun."

"But what if he messes up?" Izzy asked practically. "He's very little, only two. What if he puts stuff in _our_ food by mistake? We should wait until he's at least three before we teach him that. I think we should see what he can do with his psionic stuff. Do you think he could learn to go into people's dreams, or to make them do stuff by telling them like we do?"

"I don't think so. Grandpa says we can only do it because of our mut. . ." She glanced around; making sure nobody had overheard her. "Our you know what. Ryan's is different, and so's Bethany's."

"Lexi." Miss Hillary reproved quietly, raising a finger to her lips. "Keep your voice down please, not everybody is finished."

"Sorry." The little girl didn't sound even slightly repentant.

Izzy waited until Miss Hillary had moved out of earshot before nudging her sister. "Lexi?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think the grown-ups figured out the trick yet?"

* * *

**_Sanctuary, two hours later._**

Emma was at a loss to understand why her little son was so keen to encourage her to take a bath or a shower.

"I don't smell, do I? You'd tell me if I smelled, right?"

"I don't smell anything." Shalimar looked at her as though she'd lost her mind. "What brought this on?"

"Ryan. He keeps asking me when I'm going to take a bath. You don't think Lexi and Izzy put him up to it, do you?" She asked with not unjustified suspicion. "I don't want to end up orange again." She shuddered at the memory of how long it had taken her to rid herself of her unwanted skin colour when the then four year old Izzy had spiked her shower gel with food dye.

"I doubt it." Shalimar responded tranquilly, not put out in the least by her daughters' reputations as troublemakers. "You know that they don't like to repeat themselves. Did you change your perfume or deodorant or anything?" Emma nodded slowly. "Then maybe Ryan is trying, in his own subtle way, to tell you that he doesn't approve."

Emma laughed. "As long as that's all it is."

* * *

"What you doing?" A wide-eyed Ryan demanded of his father.

"Bethany needs changing." Jesse ruffled his little boy's head. "Want to help?"

"Where Bethy powder?" The two year old asked, his horrorstruck gaze fixed on the talcum powder container Jesse held.

"We're all out." Jesse chuckled, amused by the outraged look on the toddler's face. "Don't worry, Mommy's stuff is perfectly safe to use on babies."

"No use." Ryan tried to knock the container out of his father's hand.

"What's wrong?" Poor Jesse was bewildered.

"No use." For a moment, Ryan considered throwing a tantrum to distract his father.

"What's going on here?" Emma asked, seeing her son's determined stance.

"I think he's upset that I'm using your talc on Beth." Jesse explained.

"It's okay, sweetie." Emma tried to scoop the little boy into her arms but he pulled away from her. "I don't mind. Bethany can use it."

"NO!" Ryan howled, near tears. His trick, his first _real_ trick was going horribly wrong. "No use!"

"Why not?" Emma narrowed her eyes suspiciously, taking the container from Jesse and sniffing it. "Is something wrong with it? Did Lexi or Izzy put something in it?"

Offended, Ryan drew himself up to his full, not very considerable height, and glared up at his parents. "Lexi and Iz no do." He announced in a dignified tone. "Me do."

Jesse, trying not to laugh at Ryan's indignation, shook his head in mock sorrow. "I suppose we should have known that this was going to happen one day. They've corrupted our innocent little boy."

* * *

_**Kensington Junior School, afternoon.**_

As the main school clock was running almost ten minutes ahead - oddly enough through no fault of Lexi or Izzy's - the young students were delighted to be released from academic captivity earlier than usual and those who lived nearby started to make their way home before anyone in authority figured out what was going on and called them back in.

As Lexi and Izzy were dependent on their parents for transport, they were obliged to stay where they were.

"Girls?" Miss Hillary crossed the playground to join them. "What are you doing out here in the cold? Haven't your parents arrived? Come on and wait inside. You'll catch your deaths out here."

Her grip on their hands was tight as she pulled them away from the group, leading them not into through the main door but around the side.

Izzy stumbled and almost fell.

Pulling free of Miss Hillary, Izzy knelt down to retie her shoelace, promising to catch up.

Hearing her sister's startled squeak, she glanced up to see a vaguely familiar man flanked by two other men in suits.

"IZZY RUN! HIDE!"

It was the first time she had ever felt the effects of her sister's mental domination abilities first hand and the compulsion was irresistible. Unable to stop herself, she tore out of the building at full feral speed.

"Should I go after her?" The GSA agent's tone was doubtful.

His colleague, managing after a colossal struggle to sedate Lexi, carried her limp form in his arms.

"No." The white haired man scowled. "There are too many people out there." He glanced at the sleeping Lexi. "One will have to suffice. For now." He carelessly tossed an envelope at Miss Hillary. "Your payment."

* * *

Brennan knew something was wrong as soon as he got close to the school and saw only one small figure awaiting him.

Tears rolled down Izzy's cheeks as she launched herself into her father's arms.

"Izzy-lizard? What's the matter?" A tight knot of fear formed in his stomach.

Choking back a sob, his daughter managed to find her voice.

"The funny clown stole Lexi!"

TBC.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. 'Mutant X' and it's amazing cast of characters - Not Mine. Lexi, Izzy, Ryan and Bethany - Mine.

**Author's Note:** I've written a crossover with 'Angel' starring Lexi and Izzy, along with gidgetgirl's Chase sextuplets (from 'Six Times The Trouble') set just before 'Chicken Pox', when the twins are four. If anyone's interested, it's called 'Through The Looking Glass'.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**_GSA Headquarters_**

"Well?" Mason Eckhart's voice was grim as he addressed the scientist responsible for the programming of the subdermal governors. "Have you been able to tailor one for her yet?" He gestured towards Lexi, who was lying on a bed in the small laboratory, still sleeping off the effects of the sedatives that had been pumped into her system.

"Not completely, sir." The man tried to hide his fear. Failure was not something that his employer took kindly too. "We've never encountered her psionic abilities before. I can program a governor for feral and elemental abilities, and maybe for the subconscious telepathy, but not the other."

"Damn." Eckhart scowled.

That was definitely the little girl's most dangerous - and most valuable - ability.

"Will I implant the one I have, sir?" The question was posed tentatively.

"No." Eckhart's response was surprising. "No governors. Leave her be."

* * *

**_Sanctuary_ **

"It's my fault." Izzy's voice was small. "Lexi and me used our powers in school, even though we're not supposed to. That's how they knew. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Brennan knew better than to choose than moment for a lecture on the dangers of using her mutant abilities in public.

Poor Izzy was already distressed at losing her sister, and was feeling guilty that she had escaped.

"The people to blame are Eckhart and his goons and Miss Hillary." Shalimar paced the room restlessly. "Have they been able to find her? Do they know why she was ready to hand the girls over to Eckhart?"

"She was probably bribed." Jesse suggested practically.

"The school have contacted the police." Adam tried to sound reassuring. "They'll track her down."

"If they can." Brennan did not have much faith in the abilities of the police, especially when the safety of one of his daughters was at stake.

"It'll be alright." Emma spoke as much to reassure herself as the others.

"We'll get her back." Jesse seconded his wife.

"If Eckhart touches one hair on Lexi's head, I'll rip him to shreds!" Shalimar snarled.

"Save some for me." Brennan looked ready to fry Eckhart and every GSA agent standing between him and his daughter.

"And me." Izzy declared fiercely.

"Me too." Ryan didn't understand much of what was going on, but he could sense the fear and anger coming in waves off everybody else.

Even little Bethany, who had scarcely made a sound since her birth, was crying, distressed by the thoughts and emotions that she was reading.

"He won't hurt her." Adam knew his former colleague. "She's too valuable to him, either as a hostage or. . ." He trailed off.

"Or what?" Shalimar prompted fearfully.

"As a recruit."

* * *

****

**_GSA Headquarters, three hours later._**

The room she woke up in was a large one, and, although it was sparsely furnished and plainly decorated in white, it was comfortable, with a big bed, an adjoining bathroom and a wide space for a play area.

An impressive collection of toys were lined up against one of the walls.

"Where am I?"

There was a knock on her door and a moment later a man in a brown uniform entered, carrying a small tray laden with a plate of cookies and a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

"I thought that you might be hungry." He said giving her a friendly smile before laying the tray on a table and pulling a chair up. "Can I get you anything else, miss?"

"My Mommy and Daddy." Hands on her hips, she faced him fearlessly. "What's going on here?"

"I can't tell you, kid." He said apologetically. "The boss'll talk to you soon. In the meantime, anything you want, just ask, okay?"

"Anything?" Lexi asked slyly.

"Within reason." He amended hastily.

"Can I get some marshmallows?"

"Right away." He sped away, eager to do her bidding.

After sniffing it suspiciously, Lexi bit into a chocolate chip cookie, sending a small shower of crumbs flying.

While she was not happy with her situation, especially the separation from her parents and her twin, she had to admit that it could be worse. Much worse.

* * *

****

**_Ten minutes later._**

"How long has she been awake?" Eckhart demanded.

"About ten minutes." The guard who had catered to Lexi informed him.

"And how is she?"

"Fine, sir."

"Good." Stopping outside Lexi's door, he raised his hand to knock.

"Come in."

"Hello, Alexis." He made a determined effort to plaster a friendly smile on his face. "I'm sorry about the trouble we had bringing you here, but you understand that we had to keep up appearances." He paused. "Your grandfather did tell you about me, didn't he?"

"No."

"He didn't?" Eckhart looked suitably horrified. "You poor child, you must have been so frightened."

"I wasn't." Lexi defended herself instantly. "Well, maybe a little." She conceded.

"I'm afraid we're after getting our wires crossed." He spoke apologetically. "Your parents and your grandfather were going to tell you about me, but I must have been a day early in collecting you."

"Who are you?"

"I'm your Uncle Mason and this" He gestured with his arm. "Is the GSA."

"I've heard of the GSA." The seven year old narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You guys are the bad guys."

"You see, that was one of the things that you should have been told. Mutant X and the GSA really work together, but it has to be a secret, so the real bad guys, the people who want to hurt mutants, don't know, do you see? It's a secret - that's why I had to pretend to be nasty when I met you in the park when you were little, and this afternoon at your school. You should have been told when you joined Mutant X."

"I'm not allowed." The little girl pouted, reminded of her earlier grievance. "Daddy says there's an age requirement."

"Ah yes." Eckhart smiled sympathetically. "We have one at the GSA too - all new recruits must be at least seven years old."

"I'm seven."

"Really?" He smiled down at her, thrilled with how well she was responding to his story. "Then maybe you might consider signing up."

Lexi returned his smile with one of her own. "I'd like that."

TBC.


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. 'Mutant X' and all of its characters - Not Mine. Lexi, Izzy, Ryan and Bethany - Mine.

**Author's Note I: **Sorry about the long delay in updating. Thanks for all of the reviews.

**Author's Note II: **I'm considering retiring the twins after this story, but they are starring in a crossover with Angel. If you're interested, please check out 'Through The Looking Glass'.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_**GSA Headquarters.**_

A cautious man might have waited and several of his employees had strongly advised him against it, but Eckhart had been in no mood to listen to words of warning.

The seven year old was fond of 'Uncle' Mason, who had ensured that she was treated like a little princess, and she seemed to trust him.

He saw no merit in delaying.

"What do you want me to do?" Lexi sound curious rather than wary.

"There are a few games I'd like you to play." Eckhart smiled genially at his young 'guest'.

"What kind of games?"

"Just a few little games – tests, if you will – so that we can see just how special you are and how your powers work. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Lexi gave him a small smile. "I guess." She brightened. "Can I have ice cream afterwards?"

His smile was wide and ingratiating. "That could be arranged."

* * *

_**Sanctuary.**_

"Lexi's been gone more than twenty-four hours." Shalimar observed quietly.

"Just remember that Eckhart won't want to hurt her."

"No," She frowned. "Just to corrupt her."

* * *

_**GSA Headquarters.**_

_**An hour later.**_

"Are you ready, Miss Fox-Mulwray?" A white-coated scientist asked from behind a one way mirror via a microphone.

Lexi grinned.

She could get used to being called Miss Fox-Mulwray. It sounded so grown-up.

"I'm ready."

"The volunteer will be in in a moment. Do you remember what you're supposed to do?"

"Of course." She was slightly offended by his doubts.

The room was small, bare of any decoration or furniture save a table and two chairs. A jug and a glass stood on the table.

Lexi was sitting in one chair when the volunteer, a young man in his early to mid twenties, entered.

"Hi." She smiled at him.

"Hi kid." He fiddled nervously with his tie. "Are you here for the experiment too?"

"Uh-huh." She gestured hospitably to the seat. "Why don't you sit down?"

"Thanks. Is it okay, us talking? It's not interfering with anything?"

"I'm sure it's not." He looked around curiously. "What's in the jug?"

"The man in charge said it was water with something called arsenic in it." The little girl informed him sweetly.

"You're kidding, right?"

"No." She smiled up at him. "Why don't you have some?"

"I think I'll pass."

She narrowed her brown eyes. "Drink some."

His eyes were wide and fearful as he poured out a generous glassful of the deadly concoction and, despite his best efforts to keep himself from doing so, swallowed.

Lexi giggled. "It's a trick, silly." She informed him gleefully. "It's just sugar."

"That's not funny!" He glared at her.

"Stop talking."

He closed his mouth obediently.

Lexi, being Lexi, couldn't resist taking the 'game' a little further.

"Talk like a chicken." She ordered him firmly.

The poor man thought that he was going insane as he squawked and quacked.

"Now dance. On the table." She added impulsively.

He had no alternative but to do her bidding.

* * *

"This is remarkable." Eckhart was delighted.

"Miss Fox-Mulwray is far more powerful than we had anticipated." The scientist in charge of the project acknowledged, sounding slightly worried. "We may have more trouble controlling her than we thought."

"Nonsense." He waved aside the objections, watching proudly as Lexi put the unfortunate junior agent who had been drafted for the experiment through every activity she could think of.

With this child, the New Mutants who failed to see the benefits of joining the GSA would quickly be persuaded to see the light.

He smiled thinly. "Let's see how powerful her other abilities are."

* * *

_**Sanctuary.**_

_**Evening.**_

"Finally!" Brennan exclaimed feelingly. "Something resembling progress."

"What is it?" Shalimar asked eagerly.

"Jesse just got a call from a contact at the police station." Her husband told her. "They've found Miss Hillary."

TBC.

_Author's Note: Short, I know, but the next chapter will be longer. Please review._


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. 'Mutant X' and all of its characters - Not Mine. Lexi, Izzy, Ryan and Bethany - Mine.

**Author's Note: **To Crystal113 - yes, that really was sugar, not arsenic.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"I don't know where he took her."

Thanks to a contact in the police station, Jesse had been able to arrange for a brief, private conversation with Miss Hillary after she had been taken into custody on a carefully fabricated holding charge.

Brennan and Shalimar had both wanted to speak to her but Adam had had his doubts over whether Miss Hillary would have survived the conversation unscathed so the task had fallen to Jesse.

"So what do you know?" It was difficult for Jesse to keep his temper.

His seven year old niece was missing and the woman responsible was pleading ignorance.

For a fleeting instant he wished that it wasn't against his principals to use his mutant abilities to harm the innocent.

"The girl - Alexis - she's not human." Miss Hillary lowered her voice. "Neither is her sister."

"And?" Jesse scowled at her.

"I've seen the reports, over the Internet." Jesse suppressed a groan. Proxy Blue's stories on New Mutants were quickly becoming the bane of his life. "I'd seen her do things, things no normal kid can do." She said earnestly, wanting to convince him that she had acted for the best. She had been warned not to say anything, but faced with the prospect of years in prison as an accessory to kidnapping her tongue loosened considerably. "So when I saw the hotline number I called it and the man at the other end of the line said that the girls were a danger to themselves and everyone else and that they had to be taken somewhere safe where they could be cared for."

"I see." Jesse's tone was sarcastic. "And of course there was no financial gain involved." Miss Hillary flushed a deep scarlet. "So where did he take her?"

There was no response.

"Answer me!"

She lowered her eyes. "I don't know."

As much as he wished that it wasn't the case, Jesse knew that she was telling the truth.

* * *

****

**_Sanctuary_**

"So she knows nothing?" Shalimar paced the rec room in frustration, Sanctuary feeling very small and confining to her.

"Nothing." Jesse sighed. "I suppose we could have expected that."

"Have you been able to pick up anything?" Brennan demanded of Emma.

"Nothing." She shook her head regretfully.

"Is there any chance that Eckhart will call? That he might trade Lexi for something he wants?" Shalimar asked desperately.

Adam's expression was sorrowful. "He already has what he wants."

Huddled outside the room, Izzy listened with tears coursing down her cheeks.

Apart from when Lexi had had chicken pox, she and her twin had never been apart for more that a few hours and even then Izzy had known that her sister was safe in the lab.

Now, she had no idea where she was or what was happening to her and she was more frightened than she had ever been in her life.

_/Where are you, Lexi/_

_

* * *

_

_**GSA Headquarters**_

"I'm very proud of you, Alexis."

"You are?" The seven year old beamed up at him.

"Very." Eckhart gave her a thin smile. "I think that you will make a fine addition to the GSA."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Cool!" She grinned jubilantly before slipping her little hand into his. "Uncle Mason?"Her brown eyes were wide and appealing.

"Yes?" Eckhart mentally steeled himself against aquery about when she was goingto see her parents and sister, coming up with several excuses.

"Can I have an ice cream sundae?"

His smile was halfway genuine. "Of course."

"And can I play more games tomorrow?"

"Whatever you want." He responded indulgently. "Maybe we can try a few electricity games. Would you like that?"

"Yeah!"

* * *

****

**_That night._**

The room was quiet, almost eerily so.

The agents whose job it was to take care of her and get her whatever she wanted were indulgent about bedtime - it had been after midnight when they had finally suggested that she put away her toys and get some rest, saying that she would be very tired in the morning if she didn't get enough sleep, too tired to play her games.

Two of them were stationed outside her door - for her protection, she had been assured, to chase away any monsters under the bed.

They must think she was awfully stupid if they thought she believed that.

Taking a deep breath, Lexi closed her eyes and concentrated as hard as she could.

Izzy had worked more on developing hersubconscious telepathyabilities but Lexi was no amateur either.

Now, she was going to try something she'd never done before.

It was late, so her twin was already asleep.

Finding Izzy's dreamscape had been easy, the two of them had been exploring dreams since they were toddlers, but this was the first time that Lexi had ever attempted to push the connection any further.

_'Izzy? Izzy, can you hear me?' _She concentrated as hard as she could on pushingher wordsinto her sister's subconscious.

She had begun to despair of getting a reply when a small, almost inaudible voice brushed against her mind.

_'Lexi?'_

TBC.

_Author's Note: Sorry it's so short. An update will be forthcoming as soon as it is written, but in the mean time please review._


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. 'Mutant X' and all of its characters - Not Mine. Lexi, Izzy, Ryan and Bethany - Mine.

**Author's Note:** Deepest apologies for the unforgivably long delay between updates. I've been neglecting the twins shamefully.

**Author's Note II:** To Kirei Baka Kasumi - It's a part of their subconscious telepathy abilities. Lexi is using her powers to enter Izzy's dream but because Izzy has the same abilities, they can interact.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_'Lexi? Is that really you?' _Izzy was almost afraid that she would wake up and find out that it was a dream.

_'Yeah. I'm here. Isn't this cool?' _Even in her mind, her sister sounded gleeful. _'I never knew that we could do this.'_

_'How do I know it's really you?' _Izzy had heard stories of mutants who could force their way into people's minds while they slept and she was wary.

_' 'Cause nobody else would know about that time we went away and that crush you had on Coy. . .'_

_'I believe you.' _Izzy cut her sister off hastily. _'Where are you? Are you okay? All the grown ups are really worried. Did the funny clown hurt you?'_

_'I'm okay. The people here are really nice, or at least they pretend to be. The funny clown said that he's our Uncle Mason.' _Lexi snorted in derision. _'He thinks that I believe him when he says he's my friend. He must think kids are very dumb.'_

_'Did they do anything to you?' _Izzy asked worriedly. _'Mommy and Daddy said that the GSA are very bad people.'_

_'They gave me lots of toys and candy.' _Lexi told her calmly. _'And they asked me to play some games with my powers, but they didn't do anything bad.'_

_'Where are you? The grown ups are looking for you. Uncle Jesse was talking to Miss Hillary. She told the funny clown where we were and she tried to give us to him.'_

_'I told you she was a meanie. Do you think we'll still have to go back to school after this?'_

_'I don't know.'_

_'I don't remember how we got here.' _Lexi continued pensively. _'It's a really big place though, lots bigger than Sanctuary, so it'd be hard to hide.'_

_'What do you remember about how you got there?'_

Lexi concentrated on projecting the flashes of memory of her trip to wherever she was into her sister's mind. _'That's all I remember.'_

_'I'll tell Mommy and Daddy. Don't worry, Lexi.' _Her tone was hopeful. _'I'm sure they'll bring you back soon.'_

_'I know.' _Lexi's confidence in her parents' abilities was unshakeable. _'Izzy?'_

_'Yeah?'_

_'Do you think if I got 'Uncle Mason' to buy me a pony that the grown ups would let me keep it?'_

_

* * *

_

****

**_GSA Headquarters, morning._**

"Good morning, Miss Fox-Mulwray." The guard smiled at her as he laid her breakfast tray on the table. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yup." Lexi beamed at him as she selected a chocolate croissant from the plate of pastries.

"I'm glad." He smiled ingratiatingly. "Mr Eckhart would like to know if you feel ready for some more games this morning."

Her smile was sweet. "I'm always ready."

* * *

**_Sanctuary._**

"Izzy, honey, are you sure that this wasn't just a dream?" Brennan asked gently.

"It wasn't a dream, Daddy!" Izzy told him earnestly. "Lexi was talking to me."

"Wait until I get a hold of Eckhart!" Shalimar fumed. "I'll teach him to get _my_ child to call him 'Uncle' Mason."

"What sort of games did Lexi say that Eckhart was asking her to play?" Adam asked.

"She didn't say."

"He's probably testing her powers." Adam theorized. "If Lexi was able to contact Izzy, then he can't have implanted a subdermal governor. The girl's mental domination ability is so rare, he probably wasn't prepared for it. That's one mercy."

"Was Lexi able to tell you where she was, honey?" Emma pressed.

"She was asleep for most of when they were going." The little girl reported. "She only remembered little bits. She thought them at me, so I remember them now."

"You do?" Adam's expression brightened and he bent down in front of the seven year old. "Izzy, if it's okay with you, I'd like to try to see if I can get those memories Lexi gave you, to see if it can help us find her."

"Okay." The response was immediate.

If it would get her twin back, Izzy didn't care what it took.

* * *

****

**_GSA Headquarters._**

"Alright, Alexis," Safe behind the one way mirror of the observation room overlooking the laboratory where the test was taking place, Eckhart addressed the little girl through a microphone. "This game is so we can tell how good you are at playing with electricity."

"Okay, Uncle Mason." The response was cheerful.

"There are some cement blocks laid out." He told her, nodding towards a row of blocks of various sizes and thicknesses. "What I need you to do is to hit them all with your powers, as hard as you can, okay. Those machines will measure how much electricity you use. Do you think you can do that?"

"Of course."

"Good girl."

He gave her a thin smile, which became broader still as she directed her elemental abilities at the smallest of the blocks, reducing it to dust in a matter of seconds, the voltage count on the monitors spiking.

When the second, much larger block met the same fate as the first, his smile was so wide that he feared that the mask protecting him from germs would crack.

When the largest of the blocks, more than a ton of concrete, was reduced to dust and vapour, and the monitor exploded with the force of the little girl's power, Mason Eckhart felt, for the first time in a long time, a sense of real fear.

* * *

****

**_Sanctuary._**

"That felt funny!" Izzy exclaimed as the headpiece was lifted off.

"I know." Adam smiled across at her before looking at the monitor on which the images collected from the little girl's mind were. "There, freeze that!" He commanded as the entrance to a building, seen through half-closed eyes, appeared.

Jesse complied, looking at the older man. "Do you know that place?"

"Yes." Adam's expression was one of grim satisfaction. "I do."

TBC.

_Author's Note: Next Up - Mason gets some univited guests. Please don't forget to review._


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. 'Mutant X' and all of its characters - Not Mine. Lexi, Izzy, Ryan and Bethany - Mine.

* * *

**Chapter 7 **

"When Eckhart and I first began working together, we had one of our first labs in this building. Of course, we had underestimated the amount of space and personnel we were going to need for the work we were doing and it wasn't long we needed to expand. Eckhart offered to buy the whole building outright, but the owner wasn't interested in selling, so we ended up having to go elsewhere." Adam explained. "We never went back there."

"Until now." Shalimar pointed out.

"It _would_ be like him to go back and buy the building he sees as the birthplace of Genome X, and to go there after abducting a New Mutant child he hopes to recruit – especially _your_ child." Adam pointed out.

Mason Eckhart was no great lover of New Mutants; even those who were members of the GSA and with whom he condescended to work with were merely tolerated as they possessed abilities that were useful to him rather than liked or respected as colleagues and individuals but the members of MutantX topped his list of most hated mutants. There was no doubt about it that Lexi and Izzy's abilities would have prompted him to go after them, to make an attempt at abducting them and indoctrinating them in his own ways, regardless of whose children they happened to be, but there was also no doubt that the prospect of hurting Shalimar and Brennan, and by extension the rest of the group, by taking the girls would have given him immense personal satisfaction.

"Are you saying that he kidnapped Lexi and brought her to this place for sentimental reasons?" Brennan asked dubiously.

"Yes, although I don't imagine that Eckhart is consciously aware of the part that sentiment played in his decision," Adam responded. "What's important is that now that Izzy has shown us where Lexi is, we can go after her and bring her home."

"I'll start prepping the _Double Helix_." Jesse volunteered, leaving as soon as the words were spoken to undertake the task.

"I can watch the children while you go to rescue Lexi." Adam said.

"Thanks," Emma said gratefully, "Ryan and Bethany are asleep right now – if you're lucky, they may still be asleep when we get back, and Izzy will help you if you need it, won't you, sweetie?"

"No." Her response was firm.

"Izzy?" Shalimar was surprised at her daughter; Izzy wasn't what one would call maternal, not by any means, but she was kind-hearted and usually willing to help out when needed.

"I want to go with you guys."

"Not a chance in Hell." Brennan responded immediately.

"Lexi's my sister – my _twin_ sister. If she's in trouble, then it's my job to help her, especially when it's my fault that she got caught by the bad people in the first place."

"That wasn't your fault." Shalimar told her firmly. "Eckhart kidnapped Lexi, and it's _his_ fault that he did it, not yours. We need to find Lexi and bring her home, that's what matters most now, and we won't be able to do that if we bring you."

"But I can help you – I have the same powers as Lexi, and the bad man thought that her powers were very strong or he wouldn't have wanted her to join him."

"It's not the same thing. Eckhart doesn't care about Lexi; to him, she's just something to be used for what he wants, not a little girl who needs to be loved and taken care of. If there was danger, Eckhart would run and save himself and he wouldn't care what happened to Lexi or to anyone else. It's different with us. We protect each other, and we love you very much. Your powers are very strong, Izzy-lizard, but you're still only seven. If we brought you with us, we'd be so worried about taking care of you that we might not be able to rescue Lexi – and that wouldn't be fair to her, would it?"

"No." The last thing Izzy wanted was for her sister to be left in a bad, dangerous place.

"If we know that you're safe here, with Grandpa, then we concentrate on rescuing Lexi, do you understand?"

Izzy nodded slowly. "Yes, Mommy." She reached up her arms, and when her mother bent down, she hugged her tightly. "Bring Lexi home."

"We will, sweetie." Shalimar couldn't bring herself to imagine the possibility that they might not be able to keep that promise. They would find Lexi, they would bring her home and they would make Mason Eckhart regret the day that he had ever laid eyes on the Fox-Mulwray twins, let alone thought of recruiting them. Releasing Lexi, she joined Emma and Brennan as they made their way to the hangar bay and the _Double Helix_.

"Y'know," her husband said quietly as they took their seats and Jesse began to enter their destination into the flight computer, "that kid is going to make a heck of a member of MutantX one day."

She smiled. "I know."

* * *

**_GSA Headquarters _**

****

A rough hand was shaking her shoulder, and an impatient voice was hissing her name.

Lexi opened her eyes to see her self-styled 'Uncle Mason' looking down on her with scarcely concealed impatience.

"I need you to get up, Alexis, we have to leave, now. No, there's no time for that!" He said impatiently, catching her hand as she reached for her clothes. "We need to leave right now – we're in danger."

"From what?" Despite his obvious urgency, Lexi wouldn't allow him to hustle her out of her room until she had put on her slippers. It was too cold to be walking through the corridors barefoot.

"That's none of your concern!" as if realizing that his tone had been too harsh, he forced a smile to his face. Lexi wondered if anyone had ever told him that he looked far creepier when he was smiling than he did when he was scowling. "I don't mean to snap at you, my dear, but we really must run. I will explain everything to you once we are safe and away from this place, I promise."

He didn't wait for her to respond, taking her by the wrist and hurrying out of the room, tugging her with him. Lexi had to run to keep up with his rapid pace.

One of the GSA agents jogged up to them, slightly breathless. "They've breached the perimeter, sir, and blocked off the main exit."

"Dammit!" Uncle Mason swore angrily, his grip on Lexi's wrist tightening as he picked up his pace, tugging her along with him.

"What's going on?" Lexi had a pretty good idea of what would set the man into such a panic and she hoped that she was right. Digging her heels in and using every ounce of her feral strength, she refused to budge. If Uncle Mason took her away somewhere else, she mightn't be able to send a message to her family to get her this time.

"Alexis!" He snapped her name, clearly close to losing his temper, then his eyes widened as he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. His eyes widened in panic and, to Lexi's amusement, he moved slightly behind her, shifting his grip from her wrist to her shoulders.

"Hiding behind a kid, Eckhart?" Her Daddy's tone dripped with scorn. "That's about what I'd expect from you."

"Let go of my daughter." Mommy ordered sharply, her eyes glowing angrily.

A sensible man would probably have cut his losses and made a run for it, but Mason Eckhart was not a sensible man.

Keeping Lexi placed squarely between him and her parents, he bent down to her level, speaking urgently. "I need your help, Alexis. Your Mommy and Daddy have turned bad, and they're going to hurt us."

"Don't listen to him, Lexi!"

"Use your powers." He urged pleadingly. "Make them back off and let us get out of here." Lexi giggled and he scowled. "What's so funny?" He demanded.

"You are – do you really think that I'm going to fall for that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, and this is no laughing matter! We're in danger and I need you to…"

"I'm seven, I'm not _stupid_." She cut in scornfully, conjuring a ball of electricity in one small hand.

"Alexis… Aggh!" He tumbled to the floor, writhing in pain when she shocked him.

"My name's Lexi." She informed him. "Now tell all of your agents to go away, or I'm going to shock you there." She indicated a very sensitive area of Eckhart's anatomy, and he became even paler than ever, his eyes wide with fear at the mere suggestion. Behind her, she could hear her parents' suppressed laughter at her threat. "Understand?"

"Yes." He nodded, scowling at her, an expression of pure loathing on his face. "Get out of here – you're more trouble than you're worth."

"Yeah, but she's _our_ troublemaker." Her Daddy moved to her side, picking her up and hugging her tightly, before shocking Eckhart himself – though not in the crotch. Lexi thought that that was a pity.

"Think you can handle anyone we meet on the way out, sweetie?" Mommy asked. If it came down to a fight, they'd probably win, but with Lexi's mental domination ability they wouldn't have to.

Lexi grinned. "You can count on me."

"Good girl. Let's get you home."

TBC.


	9. Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. 'Mutant X' and it's amazing cast of characters: Not Mine. Lexi and Izzy Fox-Mulwray and Ryan and Bethany DeLauro-Kilmartin: Mine. 

* * *

**Epilogue **

Lexi had never been shy about being the centre of attention. Even as a baby, she had been perfectly content to have everybody focusing on her, and the impromptu 'Welcome Back' party that her adopted grandfather and her sister had thrown for her was no exception. 

Between mouthfuls of cake, she regaled her family with tales of her adventures after her abduction, and how she had come up with a plan to help them to rescue her, gleefully noting that Eckhart had been completely taken in by her deception. 

Adam's face became very solemn when he heard Lexi's account of the 'games' that Eckhart had had her play, and the results of those games, and although he didn't say anything, he resolved to speak to Shalimar and Brennan about arranging more frequent training sessions for both girls. They had known since the day the twins were born that they were potentially among the most powerful New Mutants alive, but it was often very easy to forget just how strong their abilities were, and just how devastating they could prove to be in the wrong hands. 

They had been very lucky that Lexi had been too clever to buy the stories Eckhart had tried to feed her, but Adam couldn't afford to forget that if Lexi had been taken in, her mental domination ability could have been used to force countless New Mutants to serve Eckhart against their will. 

They had to make sure that Lexi and Izzy were both aware of the power of their gifts, and of how vital it was that they didn't abuse them. 

"You should have seen Eckhart's face when Lexi told him that she hadn't bought his story." Brennan told Jesse and Emma, who were both quite sorry that they hadn't been able to see this for themselves. A defeated Mason Eckhart was always good for a laugh, and no matter how often one of his plans was thwarted, he was still just as astounded when the next one didn't work out either. "I don't think he'll ever get over being duped by a seven year old." 

"It's not going to do much for his reputation if this ever gets out." Jesse agreed happily, bouncing Ryan on his knee. The toddler was too young to have fully grasped the seriousness of the situation, but that didn't keep him from taking part in the celebrations as enthusiastically as the rest of them – perhaps even more so. 

Even baby Bethany seemed to have been infected by the good mood, and she cooed happily at them all from her mother's arms. 

"Were you scared when the bad men stole you?" Izzy asked. She hadn't stirred more than a few feet from her sister's side since Lexi had first been brought back, and didn't seem to have any intention of doing so in the foreseeable future. Under the circumstances, none of the adults could fault her for that. 

"Nope." Lexi insisted cheerfully. 

"Really?" Izzy eyed her sceptically. Lexi was very brave, but she knew that if she had been the one to be taken, she would have been very scared. 

"Maybe a _little_." Lexi admitted grudgingly, before hastily adding, "but I wasn't scared for long." 

"It's okay to be scared, honey, especially when something like this happens." Emma assured her gently. "I would have been scared if I had been the one that Eckhart had taken." 

"Me too." Shalimar seconded. "And it was even scarier for me when you were taken." 

"He's a very bad man." Lexi stated. 

"That's an understatement." Her mother agreed, putting an arm around her shoulders and hugging her gently. 

"I didn't like having to call him 'Uncle Mason' either." Uncles were supposed to be like her Uncle Jesse, who was always nice, who played with them and bought them candy and toys and who was there when she needed to talk to him about something, not like Eckhart, who had only been nice to her because she had abilities that he wanted her to use but she had had to pretend that she thought that he was nice. If she had refused to call him 'Uncle', he would have known that she knew the truth and she had been afraid that he would do something bad to her if he knew. 

"Well, you never have to call him that ever again." Her father promised her. "In fact, I think that we'd all really appreciate it if you didn't." 

"Hear, hear!" Jesse nodded vehemently, as did the other adults. 

It didn't take a psionic to sense that Lexi's memories of her time with Eckhart were troubling her and, not wanting to let her dwell on it, not until she had had a chance to come to terms with what had happened and was ready to talk to them about it, Adam cut in, smiling down at the eldest of the children who had adopted him as their Grandpa. "I know that we've all had a lot of cake and candy already," he began, a twinkle in his eyes as he ruffled Lexi's hair, "but if I know our Lexi, she's still got some room left for..." he paused for effect, "...Ice cream." 

"Yay!" Whatever Lexi may have thought about it, Ryan was certainly not adverse to the idea and, in the blink of an eye, he tore out of the rec room towards the kitchen, so fast that he was almost a blur, waiting impatiently for one of the adults to show up to start dishing it out. 

Lexi's smile was broad as she followed, Izzy close behind her. 

"I'd better get them their ice cream before they decide to start dishing it out themselves." Jesse commented wryly, knowing what the likely result would be if that happened. He rose to follow the three children out of the room. 

"Do you think that she's okay, Adam?" Shalimar asked quietly once her daughters were safely out of earshot. Physically, she knew that Lexi didn't have so much as a scratch on her, but that didn't mean that her experience hadn't done some psychological and emotional damage. 

"I think so." He reassured her. "Lexi's a strong kid – she definitely takes after you and Brennan in that respect. When she's ready to talk about what happened, she'll come to us." 

"She's pretty amazing." Emma commented. "We've been fighting Eckhart and Genome X for years, and your seven year old is able to outsmart him and to make sure that he thinks twice before he comes near her again." 

"More than twice." Brennan corrected. Considering where she had electrocuted him, he wouldn't have been surprised if Eckhart preferred to keep a continent, at the very least, between himself and Alexis Marie Fox-Mulwray from now on._ 'Even if he does want to, he's not going to have the chance.'_ He vowed inwardly; they had been very lucky to get Lexi back unharmed this time. If he had anything to say about it, there wouldn't be a next time. 

"I think it's a pretty safe bet that Lexi will be following in her Mom and Dad's footsteps, probably Izzy too." Adam said. "She's going to make one Hell of a member of Mutant X one day." 

"Yes," Shalimar agreed. She winced at the sound of a crash from the kitchen, swiftly followed by an 'Oops' from Lexi. "God help the bad guys." 

THE END

_Happy Easter, everybody. :-)_


End file.
